In this thesis, a Matlab/Simulink®-based simulation tool for marine current turbines has been proposed. A multiphysics approach has been adopted to model the whole system, including the resource, the rotor, the gearbox, and the generator. The developed tool can evaluate a marine current turbine performances and dynamic loads over different operating conditions. Moreover, it should be used to quantify the potential for generating electricity from various sites and therefore evaluate their cost-effectiveness. Currently, the marine current turbine simulator incorporates all types of horizontal-axis turbines. Moreover, it includes two different electrical topologies, one based on the doubly-fed induction generator and the other on the permanent magnet synchronous one. For these two technologies, two types of speed control strategies have been proposed. The first one suggests the use of well-known PI controllers. While, the second one proposes a nonlinear control approach based on the so-called high-order sliding mode that should handle torque oscillation smoothing and robustness against resource turbulences and electric grid disturbances. The various components of the simulator have been tested and experimentally proven in terms of models and speed control performances. The obtained results were consistent and very promising. ; Les travaux développés durant cette thèse, ont permis la mise au point d'un simulateur qui permet de prévoir le comportement d'une hydrolienne dans son environnement. A cet effet, une approche multiphysique a été adoptée pour la modélisation de l'ensemble de la chaîne de conversion d'énergie. L'environnement de simulation ainsi développé peut également être utilisé pour le dimensionnement et l'évaluation de la rentabilité d'installations hydroliennes. A l'heure actuelle, l'outil développé permet de simuler tous les types de turbines à axe horizontal. De plus, il permet de choisir entre deux topologies électriques différentes ; une basée sur la génératrice asynchrone à double alimentation et ...